The Matter of Anne Marie R. Colon v. Teachers' Retirement System of the City of New York

Summary

The Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division’s order, holding that the respondent’s denial of ordinary death benefits was not arbitrary and capricious and that the 2020 amendment extending accidental death benefits to COVID‑19 deaths does not violate the Pension Impairment Clause of the New York Constitution. The decision rests on the statutory scheme that mandates accidental death benefits to statutory beneficiaries and provides ordinary benefits only when accidental benefits are unavailable, and on precedent that expanding benefits does not impair vested rights.